Many devices have been made and patented dealing with the sport of exercising parts of the human body by lifting weights. These devices have been relatively complex requiring the use of a plurality of pulleys, cables, and levers which, due to their construction, require that the exercise devices be attached to walls or that there be a permanent type of attachment of the device to the floor. Additionally, in some cases, a large stable platform may be constructed which sets on the floor, the weight of the platform being such that it exceeds the weights and forces which are directly involved in the exercise. The reason these exercise devices must be attached to the wall or floor is that the devices exert forces in directions other than towards the ground or floor.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,815,903 illustrates a weight lifting exercising device which comprises a plurality of cables and pulleys and which is attached to a vertical wall because of the arrangement of the weights and directions which the cables are pulled over the pulleys. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 3,640,527, 4,010,947, and 3,373,993 illustrate exercising devices which depend upon a large stable floor resting platform in order to provide the necessary inherent stability when being used. Other devices are available, such as illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,306,611 which provides that the device be anchored to the floor, again for the purpose that forces are directed in other directions than towards the floor, here an upward direction.
It is obvious that the exercising devices which have been aforementioned, in addition to requirements for special wall or floor supports, are relatively large cumbersome devices which may not be placed easily out of sight or stored in a small area when not in use. Thus, it is apparent then that there is need for a weight exercising device which is rather compact and portable and which does not depend upon attachment to floors or to walls to be used but which in fact is so arranged that the forces exerted by the machine when in operation are towards the floor and where the device need not be anchored.